Shigeo Fukuda & Toshiki Nunokawa: Childhood’s Dream

Jazz of Japan #141 • Jun 14, 2021 • Brian McCrory

Childhood’s Dream is a 10-song, hour-long studio recording from pianist Shigeo Fukuda and guitarist Toshiki Nunokawa. Both leading veteran players, the musicians are also in-demand sidemen and instructors, well-known in Japan’s live scene from the 1980s through to the current day.

Clean, swinging piano playing together with warm, organic guitar tones balance perfectly over the mostly original material with three jazz standards, “How Deep Is the Ocean”, “The Peacocks”, and “Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams”. While the cover songs offer the most swinging and familiar jazz themes, the pair’s original numbers complete the package with shades of rock, blues, and folk interpreted through a Japanese jazz lens.

While it can be said that Fukuda plays masterly jazz piano in a very piano-like way, a similar description could be made of Nunokawa’s guitar playing, which also brings in funky rock and pop facets with slick guitar jazz. Along with their individually impressive and extensive history, the musicians hold a real 30+ years friendship playing together, and on this album show command of their instruments and their natural jazz musicians’ bond expressed through their dreams from childhood.

Childhood’s Dream by Shigeo Fukuda & Toshiki Nunokawa

• Shigeo Fukuda - piano
• Toshiki Nunokawa - guitar

Released in 2011 on BQ Records as BQR-2053.

Japanese names: Shigeo Fukuda 福田重男 Toshiki Nunokawa 布川俊樹

Audio and Video

• A video of “Childhood’s Dream”, a live version of the title track
• A video of “Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams”, a live version of the last track on this album